August 2015—Student attrition. Extreme poverty. Early pregnancy. Prolonged and obstructed labor leading to fistula. Maternal and child mortality. Marital instability. These are just some of the harmful consequences of child marriage, a practice that undercuts efforts to encourage sustainable development.
Like many developing countries, the practice is widespread in Ethiopia, even though it is unlawful and punishable. This is particularly so in the Amhara Region where the prevalence is among the highest in the world as reflected in a 2010 Population Council study showing that almost 50 percent of girls were married before the age of 15 and some married as early as age 7.
Living in one of the most prevalent early marriage zones of the Amhara Region, Fiker Tenaw could very easily have become part of that 50 percent. Last year, the 13-year-old discovered that her parents were secretly arranging a marriage for her to someone she had never met. She was shocked and upset, but not defenseless.
Fortunately for Fiker, before finding out about her parents’ secret plan, she had learned about the negative impact of early marriage through a USAID activity at her school. The activity works in areas of the Amhara Region where child marriage is the most prevalent to raise awareness and increase communication and coordination between community members, law enforcement officials, religious leaders, and educators to stop this harmful practice.
As a major component of the activity, USAID, in partnership with NGO Justice for All-Prison Fellowship Ethiopia, worked with educators to establish girls’ clubs in targeted schools and provide information to students. It was at the girls’ club at her school where Fiker learned about the harmful consequences of early marriage and her human rights. The students also perform dramas for classmates and parents to help change perceptions about the deeply ingrained practice.
Some students—when they learn that their parents have arranged a marriage for them—want help but are afraid to ask. To address this, one idea introduced by the girls’ clubs is to have “secret boxes” at each school. Any student or teacher who learns about a planned early marriage can place the name of the affected person in the box, and the school will work with parents and local officials to intervene.
Armed with what she learned, Fiker fought back. She reported her soon-to-be marriage to the girls’ club at her school and also went to the police. With their support, Fiker refused to accept the early marriage. Instead, she chose to prioritize her education, saying, “I want to benefit my family and myself, and contribute to the development of our country.”
With USAID’s support, girls like Fiker feel strong enough to fight for their rights. “If my parents again try to force an early marriage upon me, I will go to my teachers and the police and refuse the marriage,” exclaimed Fiker.
Since the USAID activity began in December 2013, nearly 1,500 child marriage arrangements were cancelled in the five woredas, or districts, where the activity is implemented, while the courts have also begun to judicially revoke some child marriages and punish perpetrators.
“When girls are forced into child marriages, they are robbed of having a childhood, receiving an education and having their bodies mature in a healthy manner,” said USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director Dennis Weller. “Through our efforts, we are raising awareness that it is for the long-term good of both the individuals and their communities to stop the practice of child marriages.”
Fiker’s future looks bright, having just completed sixth grade as the top student in her class. “I have learned about the consequences of child marriage at an early age. I prefer an education before a husband.”
The USAID activity, Enhancing the Status of Human Rights Protection and Systems of Good Governance in Ethiopia, runs until 2018.
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